Open API standardization for the NGN platform - [ITU-T kaleidoscope]

Next-generation networks promise to provide a richer set of applications for the end user, creating a network platform that enables the rapid creation of new services. Significant progress has been made in the standardization of NGN architecture and protocols, but little progress has been made on open APIs. This article outlines the importance of open APIs and the current achievements of the standards bodies. It concludes with a brief set of issues that standards bodies must resolve in relation to these APIs.     

Open standards: a call for change - [ITU-T kaleidoscope]

Digital communication is both pervasive and vital across society. This creates a growing public interest in the technical standards that proscribe public communications. The public is demanding open standards. The rallying cry "Open Standards" means different things to different groups. This article reviews the different needs of specific groups of society and develops ten different requirements for open standards. To implement these requirements, changes to the rules and procedures of standardization organizations, international bodies (e.g., WIPO, WTO), and national patent office rules are proposed. Interestingly, technical changes, in the form of new standardized protocols, rather than legal or policy changes, appear to be the most important changes to meet the requirements of open standards."Standards function as feathers that guide the arrow of technology. While feathers are light and seemingly trivial on an arrow's shaft, without feathers, few arrows find their mark. Without standards, few technologies find their market"     

Differential phase shift-quantum key distribution - [ITU-T kaleidoscope]

Quantum-key distribution has been studied as an ultimate method for secure communications, and now it is emerging as a technology that can be deployed in real fiber networks. Here, we present our QKD experiments based on the differential- phase-shift QKD protocol. A DPSQKD system has a simple configuration that is easy to implement with conventional optical communication components, and it is suitable for a high-clock rate system. Moreover, although the DPS-QKD system is implemented with an attenuated laser source, it is inherently secure against strong eavesdropping attacks called photon number-splitting attacks, which pose a serious threat to conventional QKD systems with attenuated laser sources. We also describe three types of single-photon detectors that are suitable for high-speed, long-distance QKD: an up-conversion detector, a superconducting single-photon detector, and a sinusoidally gated InGaAs avalanche photodiode. We present our recordsetting QKD experiments that employed those detectors.     

The architecture and a business model for the open heterogeneous mobile network - [ITU-T kaleidoscope]

The mobile communications market has grown rapidly over the past ten years, but the market could reach saturation in the foreseeable future. More flexible mobile networks that can meet various user demands and create new market openings are required for further growth. Heterogeneous networks are more suitable than homogeneous networks for meeting a wide variety of user demands. There are two types of heterogeneous networks: a closed type, where network resources are deployed and operated by communication carriers, and an open type, where network resources can be deployed not only by existing operators, but also by companies, universities, and so on. It will be easy for newcomers to enter mobile businesses in an open heterogeneous mobile network so many innovative services are likely to be provided through cooperation between various companies or organizations. This article proposes a revised architecture for TISPAN-NGN, which corresponds to heterogeneous networks and open mobile markets, and presents a new business model.     

The first ITU-T kaleidoscope event: "innovations in ngn" - [Series editorial]

The Feature Topic of this issue is about the first International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) Kaleidoscope event that took place in Geneva, Switzerland on 12-13 May 2008. This was an academic conference on "Innovations in NGN (Next Generation Networks)" that brought together over 220 participants from 48 countries, including students and professors from 43 academic institutions.     

The new chips on the block [network processors]

The author describes how rapidly expanding network applications and soaring performance requirements need flexible microprocessor solutions that are powerful enough to handle ever-growing data traffic     

Introduction to the ITU-T NGN focus group release 1: target environment, services, and capabilities

This article starts by introducing some interesting use cases of set-vices and capabilities to be supported in next-generation networks. The target environment, relevant services, and some critical capabilities identified by the ITU-T Focus Group on NGN for the first phase of NGN deployments - NGN Release 1 - are then described. Finally, some examples of services to capabilities mapping are provided.     

ITU-T下一代网络重点工作组发布文件1介绍:目标环境、服务和能力

本文首先介绍了下一代网络所支持的几个令人感兴趣的服务用例和能力，然后描述了ITU-T下一代网络重点工作组在下一代网络发布文件1中所认定的目标环境，相关服务和某些关键能力，最后给出了几个能反映其能力的服务案例。     

Seamless content delivery in the future mobile internet - [message from the editor-in-chief]

Dear Readers, Welcome back from your summer vacation! I hope you had a productive and enjoyable summer!     

Mobile WiMax, the leader of the mobile internet era - [wimax report]

In the last decade, developments in the telecommunications industry have changed our lives dramatically. Due to the high availability of broadband technologies, every piece of information we might ever need is within reach of our hands at work, at home, or wherever Internet access is provided. Cell phones enable us to stay ?on the phone? regardless of our location or the time of day. Now, the broadband Internet, which has previously only been provided via wireline technologies, is going wireless, providing more mobility and flexibility to users.     

Standardization Trends for Carrier-Class Ethernet in ITU-T and IEEE 802 [Guest Editorial]

The three articles in this special section are devoted to standardization trends for carrier-class Ethernet in IEEE and ITU-T standards.     

The internet and beyond: Securing data across the enterprise

While Internet security shouldn't be the single focus of an organization's network security solution, it is a critical place to start because of the increasing degree to which companies depend upon the Internet as a business communications tool.     

Service-oriented broadband wireless network architecture - [Guest editorial]

In the past few years, broadband wireless networks have been very attractive as a key technology for providing Internet access because of quick and cost-effective deployments. In addition to the features of high data rate and large coverage, broadband wireless networks also promise to rapidly provide access to locations in the world?s rural and developing areas where broadband is currently unavailable, as well as compete for urban market shares. Till now, most existing efforts have been focused on basic access capability. However, to successfully operate broadband wireless networks, a crucial issue must be addressed: how to support a variety of services and applications within the broadband wireless networks? As an example, there is an increasing need to efficiently support applications such as voice over IP (VoIP), video streaming, music downloading, IP TV, and many others.